Pollution overwhelms Soniewein

Residents of Soniewen Community in Montserrado County Electoral District #8 are complaining about a damaged sewer pipe that runs close to a government referral health center, the Soniewen Clinic, leaving the facility and residents overwhelmed by faeces and other wastes.

Soniewen Community Secretary-General Adolphus Kiazulu told a press conference on Wednesday, 16 August. that the community has written relevant government authorities concerning the situation, but they are yet to respond to the emergency pollution problem facing the community.

Behind the Soniewen Clinic, he says there is a big drainage containing faeces, noting that it requires urgent attention. He says residents continue to harbor fears over the aftermath of the continuous pollution of the area where patients go for medical attention.

According to Mr. Kiazulu, dozens of inhabitants are at risk of dying of malaria, diarrhea and typhoid if nothing were urgently done to restore a normal environment in the community.

Mr. Kiazulu notes that the community does not have the ability to clear feces from the drainage, unlike government that is equipped with waste trucks to pull out waste from the drainage.

But when contacted, authorities at the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), Ministry of Public Works (MPW) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say they are not aware of the situation, though they assure that all would be done to intervene if the necessary modalities are worked out.

Our reporter who visited the community says feces could be seen spread on the side of the street and near houses in the community, leaving occupants and passers- by inhale polluted air.

Despite the condition of the place, marketers are seen very busy serving their customers with doughnuts and other cooked food stuffs. Customers eat where they are served. The slum community of Soniewen is estimated to have over 45,000.00 residents.

By Emmanuel Mondaye–Edited by Winston W. Parley